Department of Foreign Languages : Undergraduate Catalog General Information

Antonio Varela, Chairperson

Ruth A. Hottell, Undergraduate Adviser, French
Oscar Lepeley, Undergraduate Adviser for Minors, Spanish

Juan Martín, Undergraduate Adviser, Spanish

Debra L. Stoudt, Undergraduate Adviser, German
Kathleen Thompson-Casado, Undergraduate Adviser, Spanish

Degrees Offered

The Department of Foreign Languages offers a baccalaureate degree program for a Bachelor of Arts.

In addition to courses in classical civilization taught in English, the Department of Foreign Languages offers instruction in the following foreign languages: Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish. A major can be earned in the areas of French, German and Spanish; Departmental Honors can be pursued in these same areas. A minor can be earned in any of the major fields as well as in Classics and Japanese. The requirements for these programs are set forth below.

Advanced Placement

Students with a score of 3 in a modern foreign language will receive credit for 3010; those with a score of 4 will receive credit for 3010 and 3020; those with a score of 5 will receive credit for 3010, 3020, and 3210/3270 (or equivalent). Students with a score of 3 in Latin will receive credit for 2140; those with a score of 4 will receive credit for 2140 and 2150; those with a score of 5 will receive credit for 2140, 2150 and 3050 (or equivalent).

Requirements for the Major in French, German, and Spanish

A minimum of 34 hours is required for the undergraduate major in any of these languages beginning in all cases at the 3000 language level.  French, German, and Spanish offer two tracks for majors, the general and the applied language or business track. 

Required courses for the general French major are:  FREN 3010, 3020*, 3210, 3220, 3410, 3420, 4010, 4020*, and additional 3000/4000-level courses with adviser’s approval.  Required courses for German are:  GERM 3010, 3020*, 3200, 3410 or 3420, 4010, 4020*, and additional 3000/4000-level courses with adviser’s approval.  Required courses for Spanish are:  SPAN 3000, 3010, 3020*, 3210, 3220 (or 3270, 3280), 3410 (or 3420), 4010 (or 4110), and additional 3000/4000-level courses with adviser’s approval.

Required courses for Applied French major are:  FREN 3010, 3020*, 4010, 4020*; 3220 or other literature course; 2 courses from:  3410, 3420, 4200 or 4980 culture topics course; 3170 and 1 of the following:  4070, 4190, or 4980 applied course work topics; and additional 3000/4000-level courses.  Required courses for the Applied German major are:  GERM 3010, 3020*, 4010, 4020*; 3200 or other literature course; 2 courses from:  3410, 3420, 4200 or 4980 culture topics course; 2 courses from:  3170, 3180, 4940, or 4980 applied course work topics 3170 or 3180 must be taken); and additional 3000/4000-level courses.  Required courses for Business Spanish major are:  SPAN 3000, 3010, 3020*, 4000 (or 4010); either 3220 or 3280; 3410 and 3420; 3170 and 4370; and additional 3000/4000-level courses.

*Writing-intensive courses in French, German and Spanish.

Honors in Foreign Languages

Qualified students are invited to pursue Honors in a French, German, or Spanish major and thereby earn the degree designation of "Departmental Honors" in their specific field upon graduation. Formal application for Departmental Honors must be made in the Department Office (University Hall Room 5320-D). Normally, a petition for admission to the program should be made near the end of the sophomore year. Formal acceptance is based on the following: 1) Junior or senior standing; 2) A GPA (GPA) of 3.3 overall and in the major, and 3) Approval by the language Honors adviser and the Chairperson of the Department of Foreign Languages.

To graduate with the degree designation of "Departmental Honors," the student must: 1) Satisfy the standard requirements listed above for the major; 2) Maintain a GPA of 3.3 overall and in the major; 3) Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 12 hours of departmental honors course work at the 3000 or 4000 level; and 4) include among the 12 hours the Honors Research course (FREN, GERM, or SPAN 4960) that normally leads to the completion of an Honors thesis.

Minor in Foreign Languages

In Classics, a minimum of 21 hours is required for the minor. At least 9 hours must be in Latin above the intermediate level. The remaining hours must include classical civilization courses (excluding CLC 1010 Classical Humanities) or additional course work in Latin.

A minimum of 22 hours is required for the Minor in French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Spanish requires 21-22 hours). In the modern languages, all course work must be in the same language and at the 3000 level or higher. Required courses include the following:

Students wishing to receive a minor in Foreign Languages have the responsibility, in consultation with the adviser in their major, to see that the necessary course work is included in the total number of undergraduate courses taken. Students outside the College of Arts and Sciences should make sure that the minor in Foreign Languages is an approved program within their college.

Candidates for the minor in Foreign Languages must have their course work verified and approved by a Foreign Language Department adviser or that department's chairperson at the time they make formal application for graduation. A form for this verification can be obtained in the college or department office.

Courses required for either the major or minor may not be taken P/NC; however, up to 12 hours of P/NC course work may be included in the related area.

Study Abroad 

Credit for foreign language study abroad will be given only for those accredited courses or programs approved in advance. Students should apply for approval at the Department of Foreign Languages at least one month prior to the anticipated date of departure. Credit will be granted only upon presentation of a formal certificate indicating the hours completed and examinations passed. 

Language Laboratory 

For the benefit of foreign language students, the Department of Foreign Languages maintains a laboratory in University Hall, Room 5150-G. Students in elementary and intermediate language courses are required to make use of multimedia materials regularly to develop and improve listening and speaking skills. In many instances, video and computer materials are available to enhance the learning of vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.